The Yearly 365 Challenge

Prompt #282 (Trait) Materialistic

Hermione turned around to look at back of the dress in the mirror. "I like this." She smiled over at her mother whom was sitting in the high back chair to the right of her. "I'm sure the boys will fall all over themselves to get to me."

"Hermione." Her mother frowned slightly.

Hermione rolled her eyes. "That was a joke mama." She sighed. "You know I'm not too much into making the boys fall all over me." Her right eye brow rose. "No matter what some say."

"I have told you over and over again that I don't want you trying to befriend Alice Smith." Her mother frowned. "Not after all the grief she has sent your way for the past ten years now."

Hermione sighed as she looked back at the mirror. "I like this dress for my graduaton dress, thank you Mama and Papa also." She smiled softly as she tried to get her mother's mind back on more pleasant thoughts.

"It's not every day you graduate from high school Hermione." Her mother nodded. She stood to her feet and walked around her daughter. "I do like the style 'Mione. I'm sure that Fred and Hal wouldn't mind having you on their arms at the final dance." She eyed her daughter. "You do know that after this summer you and boys won't be spending that much time with one another any longer." She frowned as she played with her daughter's collar.

"Mama ..." Hermione's eyes drew dark. "I don't want to think about this. Not now. Not yet." She stepped away from her mother. "I best get changed. I promised the boys that I would meet them at Pops." She walked back to the dressing room.

Hermione's mother sighed sadly as she watched her daughter move out of sight. "She has to come to accept that this is a matter of life. It's all part of growing up and growing apart." She sighed as she moved to the chair and picked up her purse. She nodded for the clerk to start to ring her daughter's dress up.

Talk about being materialistic.

Hermione's mother's eyes darkened at the piece of paper that was crudely taped onto the window. She fully knew whom had placed it there. She sighed as her hands clenched at her sides. She turned and walked to the counter. "I'm sorry to say but someone has seen fit to tape some crude sign to your window." She sighed. "I'm sorry to say it is directed towards my daughter. I'm sorry for the embrassement."

The clerk looked over Hermione's mother's shoulder and found the note. She lifted her head and snapped her fingers at the young man whom was standing at the door. "This isn't the first sign that is taped to our window. Don't concern yourself. Your daughter isn't the only target for these childish tatics." She calmly said as she ranged up the sale.

Hermione walked up to the counter and noticed how stiff her mother was holding herself up as she signed the reciept. "Mama?" She questioned with some unsureness.

Her mother sighed through her nose and nodded tightly to the clerk. "Come dear it's time we leave." She led the way towards the door where the young man held it open for her.

"Come again." He bowed his head as the two women passed him by.

"I see you have noticed my note." Alice smirked as she stepped out for the doorway that she had been standing in.

"What note?" Hermione asked looking between Alice and her mother.

"A note that this young lady …." Her mother began when Alice snorted. "saw fit to tape on the dress shop window."

Alice shrugged. "It's a free country after all." She rolled her eyes. "Where's your sense of humor anyway?"

"You will be turning eighteen in a few weeks young lady …. soon your jail record won't be wiped cleaned." Hermione's mother lifted her nose in the air.

Alice rolled her eyes and turned around, and walked away. She promised herself that she would make a name for herself as a reporter … then the world will see whom deserves to be locked behind bars. She would take sheer pleasure taking Hermione's entire snooty family down and making it full page news every single time.

Hermione inwardly sighed as she watched Alice walk away. She knew the other girl by now to know how truly angry she was by her stiffed back. She prepared herself for years and years of ugly battle between Alice Smith and her family.

"I'll take your dress home now dear. That way you won't have to worry about it at Pops." Hermione's mother smiled at her as she took the garmet bag over her arm.

Hermione smiled. "Thank you Mama. I won't be too late I promise."

Her mother winked. "I know that it's a long weekend and your last one of your high school career. But I do want you well rested for all the fun you are going to have for your last week of high school." She tapped her daughter's nose lightly. "Don't eat too much sugar dear."

"I won't." Hermione promised, and waved at her mother; as she made her way towards Pops a few blocks away.